Wilkes Baptist Church, Midfield, (which is now where Christian Walk Baptist Church meets), is having a reunion of former members and friends at Grace Life Baptist Church, McCalla, on April 20. Fellowship begins at 2 p.m. in the multi-purpose room with a special program (involving hymns and a time of testimonies) to follow at 3 in the sanctuary. Contact Tommy DeRamus at 205-531-4619 ..read more

By Jackie Shumate Special to The Alabama Baptist Just a little over four months ago, I said “goodbye for now” to my daddy. He was just 71 when his 25-year battle with heart disease ended. But the goodness of God and the gifts He provided during my daddy’s last few months are some I will always cherish. Following the sudden death of my mother in an accident several years ago, my sisters and I, along with a team of medical providers and helpers, became dad’s caregivers. Due to his heart condition, he had several medical devices that would alarm multiple times each day and medications that also ..read more

The Samaritan Counseling Center of Montgomery will host Soul Shop for Leaders Tuesday, May 14, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., at The MAP (Ministry About People) Center for Excellence. Soul Shop is a free workshop designed to equip faith community leaders to minister to those impacted by suicide. The conference includes training in suicide awareness, mastering basic conversation skills, including personal testimonies, and creating worship resources. Register at sslmontgomery.eventbrite.com. Free admission is made possible through a generous grant from the Montgomery County Commission; limit 100 partic ..read more

Many of us know that stretching exercises are part of our favorite sports and fitness programs. But even less physically active individuals can benefit from adding stretches to their daily routine. Stretching helps the body stay active and mobile, said Nanci Berch, director of the Family Life Center at Heritage Baptist Church in Montgomery, a recreation ministry facility frequented by church members and community residents. “I tell people, if you have five minutes, great! If you have 20 minutes, great!” Fitness is a ministry for Berch, and she believes stewarding our bodies allows us to serve ..read more

Patricia Jumbo-Lucioni, an associate professor at Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy, focuses her research on Alzheimer’s in memory of her grandmother. She also seeks to share what she’s learning with others through her role as a community educator with Alabama Alzheimer’s Association. During an April 4 afternoon seminar hosted by Oaks on Parkwood, a Noland Health Services continuous care community near Hoover in southwestern Jefferson County, Jumbo-Lucioni outlined 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s. Patricia Jumbo-Lucioni. She also stressed the importance of early detection to b ..read more

Samford University held a ceremonial groundbreaking April 16 to commemorate phase one of Samford Horizons: A Blueprint for Tomorrow, the university’s campus master plan. The massive project, the largest in Samford’s history, will result in the addition of a new 513-bed residence hall for first-year students, two smaller residence halls totaling 140 beds for upper division students in Greek letter societies and an addition to the north parking facility with more than 500 new stalls. Judge Karon Bowdre ’77, JD ’80, chair of the Samford University board of trustees, said, “The scope of this proj ..read more

A well-known senator stated in a recent interview on national news that loneliness is a public health crisis in America. If this is such a problem in our country, then it is also a problem in our churches. Several Baptist pastors have said that it is a problem in their congregations and communities. Loneliness is described by Wikipedia as “an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation. It is often associated with a perceived lack of connection and intimacy.” Loneliness and solitude share similar traits, but they are different from one another. Solitude is simply a situation in which ..read more

Southcrest Baptist Church, Bessemer, will host the Joyful Hearts trio from Cullman, May 4 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 with food available for purchase. For more information, call 205-425-9991. Scott Bush is pastor ..read more

NAIROBI, Kenya — Seven Kenyan Christians in different countries were killed for their faith, apparently because they were evangelizing among other religious groups. A Kenyan evangelist and three Ugandans on a missions team were ambushed March 8 near Busia, Kenya, by Muslim extremists. Morning Star News states the team was returning to Uganda from an outreach in Kenya, during which several Muslims had placed their faith in Christ Jesus. The attackers “were not happy about the conversion of their fellow Muslims, especially their relatives,” said survivor Rooney Masaba, a Ugandan evangelist. Eva ..read more

New Home Baptist Church, Pisgah, will hold Spring Camp Meeting 2024, April 21–24. The speaker is evangelist Garrett Fitch from Minford, Ohio. The Sunday morning service, 10:30 a.m., will be held in the church’s sanctuary. The evening services will be held at the New Home Bible Camp, 8059 Alabama Highway 71, Henagar: Sunday, 6 p.m.; Monday–Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. David Smith is pastor ..read more